JOE Biden hit back at Vladimir Putin's deranged nuclear threats this evening as he vowed Russia will "never" win in Ukraine.
Biden used a major speech to taunt the Russian tyrant saying Kyiv still "stands strong and free" a year on from the invasion.
He spoke to cheering crowds in Poland alongside president Andrzej Duda following his historic trip to Kyiv yesterday.
The US President, 80, spent the day praising Nato as "stronger than ever" and reassuring his allies of Washington's continued commitment to Europe.
And then he delivered a key speech at the Royal Castle, the same location where he condemned Putin last March just weeks after Vlad's invasion.
Biden said Putin believed Nato would fracture – but the alliance was more united than ever.
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He added: "One year into this war, there should be no doubt our support will not waver, we will not be divided and we will not tire.
"Democracies of the world will stand strong defending freedom today, tomorrow and for ever.
"That's what's at stake here – freedom."
He also slammed Russia as "abhorrent" for committing atrocities in Ukraine.
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He said "brutality will never grind down the will of the free".
And he vowed: "Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia, never."
It was greeted with huge applause from the crowd in the Polish capital – which lived under Soviet rule for 45 years.
Duda said Ukraine had not fallen thanks to the "heroism of its soldiers" and the support it has received from the West.
He called on allies to continue backing Kyiv, adding: "There is no place for business as usual with Russia."
His speech this evening came hours after Vlad's rambling two-hour diatribe in Moscow in which he issued veiled nuclear threats and raged about the West.
The two duelling speeches are highly symbolic with the first anniversary of the Ukraine war just days away on Friday.
Fears that Russia could launch a large offensive to coincide with the date continues to loom over Ukraine.
The US and Russia have seen relations hit a new low since the Cold War.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan downplayed the two speeches occuring on the same day, saying it is not a "head to head".
Putin, 70, delivered his delayed state-of-the-nation address during which he accused the West of trying to start a "global" war.
His highly-anticipated and venom-filled tirade had one central message – he blames the West for the war in Ukraine.
The address even suffered a blackout as a major state TV channel suffered an apparent hack attack.
But in one of the most extraordinary moments, Putin made a veiled threat to use nukes.
He claimed the very existence of Russia is now at stake – something considered a red line for the Kremlin.
It came as:
- Vladimir Putin warned of global war and made veiled nuke threats in a rambling speech in Moscow
- Joe Biden made a surprise visit to Kyiv to meet with Volodymyr Zelensky in a symbolic show of support
- The world counts down to the anniversary of the war on February 24
- Russia is feared to be massing 500,000 troops for a new assault on Ukraine
- Ukraine says Russia has placed its nuclear forces on combat alert
- Zelensky warned China arming Russia could trigger World War 3
Pinballing between topics, Vlad doubled down on his bloody war – which has seen an estimated nearly 150,000 of his soldiers die.
"The goal of the West is to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia, to end us once and for all," raged Putin.
"We will react accordingly, because we are talking about the existence of our country."
Elsewhere in the speech, Putin also vowed Russia would ditch participation in a key arms control treaty – further ramping up the nuclear danger with the West.
The New START treaty caps the number of strategic nuclear warheads that the US and Russia can deploy.
And it controls the deployment of land- and submarine-based missiles and bombers to deliver them.
Putin also pledged to restart nuclear testing if the US did the same.
A top US official described Putin's accusations as "absurd", while the Ukranians said the speech showed Putin had lost touch with reality.
"Nobody is attacking Russia. There's a kind of absurdity in the notion that Russia was under some form of military threat from Ukraine or anyone else," said White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.
Mykhailo Podolyak, a top aide to the Ukrainian president, said: "He is in a completely different reality, where there is no opportunity to conduct a dialogue about justice and international law."
Nato boss Jens Stoltenberg warned the speech shows Putin is escalating and is preparing for "more war".
Ageing autocrat Putin also moaned about Nazis, traitors, the Anglican Church, and even claiming paedophilia is "the norm" in the West.
He relied on the same tired old rhetoric – and went on meandering tangents talking about history and complaining about what he sees as decadence in the West.
The audience at times appeared visibly bored – with some even going to yawn.
Finishing his speech, Vlad said: "Russia will respond to any challenges, because we are all one country — one big and united people.
"We are confident in ourselves and confident in our strength.
"The truth is with us."
Russia is estimated to have lost almost 150,000 soldiers in Ukraine as they are smashed against a heroic Ukrainian resistance led by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Putin's future is now seen as tied to his success or failure.
Moscow still controls one fifth of Ukraine, but has seen major battlefield defeats and hopes of a quick victory dashed.
Vlad is desperate to win to save himself – and sees the war as part of a wider conflict with the West.
Britain, the US, and other Western nations are all supporting Ukraine with weapons and supplies.
Vlad's speech comes just one day after US President Joe Biden made an unprecedented secret visit to Kyiv.
Biden doubled down his support for Ukraine in one of the biggest shows of support yet by Washington.
Putin meanwhile is believed to be attempting to get China to side with him and give him weapons.
It is a move that could reset the battlelines between East and West.
And it is one Ukrainian leader Zelensky warned could trigger World War 3.
"China is deeply worried about the continuous escalation of the conflict and possibility of the situation spiralling out of control," said Chinese minister Qin Gang.
It is feared Russia could be preparing a large new offensive – with reports of up to 500,000 soldiers gathering for an attack on Ukraine.
Ukrainian intelligence yesterday also reported that Vlad has put his nuclear forces on high combat readiness.
It has long been suggested Vlad could use the threat of nukes to force capitulation from Ukraine – or actually detonate one of the weapons to break the deadlock.
Vlad using a nuke during the war would be the first time such a weapon has been used in combat since the US dropped two bombs on Japan in 1945.
The war on the ground has remained relatively stagnant over the winter – with bloody, grinding trench warfare across the eastern flank.
Vuhledar and Bakhmut have devolved into the bloodiest battles of the war so far – with Zelensky describing them as a "living wall" against Russia.
Ukraine continues to call for more Western aid – in particular fighter jets – to finally defeat Russia.
Russia expected to be welcomed as conquering liberators when they staged their invasion nearly one year ago.
But instead of flags and cheering crowns, they were met with gunfire and brave resistance.
Putin is facing internal political pressure with the anniversary now just days away – and very little to show for the vast expenditure of blood and treasure.
It is believed that if Putin continues to fail in the war, his regime could collapse – and it could have dire consequences for Russia.
Biden's unannounced visit to Ukraine was seen as a rallying call to solidify support in the West.
The US President has seen some voices in Washington beginning to waver as he pledged a further £400million of backing for Kyiv.
However, he vowed Washington will stand with Kyiv for "as long as it takes."
Biden said: "When Putin launched his invasion nearly one year ago, he thought Ukraine was weak and the West was divided.
"He thought he could outlast us. But he was dead wrong."
"The cost that Ukraine has had to pay is extraordinarily high. Sacrifices have been far too great … We know that there will be difficult days and weeks and years ahead."
And the Ukrainian leader hailed Biden's visit, saying it shows Russia has "no chance" to win.
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"This is an unequivocal signal that Russian attempts to win will have no chance," said Zelensky.
"Together we will protect our cities, our people from the terror of Russia."
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